Toyota Camry SE V-6

Second Place: Concealable Carry

On any given day, even the Packers can get outpointed. This new Camry is a polished performer with a broad balance of virtues. It's quiet. It rides well. Small controls for HVAC and entertainment could not be arranged more conveniently. The engine purrs, even when you lay into it. The four-speed automatic is a genius at deciding exactly when to change gears. Performance by most measures is a bit above average.

Fuel economy is outstanding: 26 mpg on our test trip bested a second-place tie by 2 mpg. The Camry also outscored all others in braking, stopping in 191 feet.

Still, in the points column, the total is second best. The SE is Toyota's sporting Camry, having just a bit more shock-absorber control than normal and wearing "summer" tires. We're uneasy about the tire choice. Yes, they pay off when you want to play, having a nice reserve of grip in the corners along with exceptionally agreeable steering responses. But they wear quicker than all-season tires, and they're really not acceptable when the snow falls. Making them an integral part of a four-door that is mild by every definition seems a disservice to the unsuspecting, we think. Somehow, the Altima rolls on Bridgestones that seem quicker, sharper, tauter, yet they carry the all-season mark.

For the record, we like the way this SE strode around our curvy-road test loop, very sure-footed. But as one tester commented, "If the old Camry was vanilla ice cream, this is vanilla bean."

For sure, certain cockpit details don't live up to the SE's sporty declaration. The front buckets are puffy; you sit on them rather than in them. Also, the bright-metal background of the instruments--it's a fashion thing going around this season--hurts legibility for some.

As a family sedan, the Camry's passenger space is better than ever, although no match for the Intrepid. In back, room and comfort are about equal to that of the Taurus.

Compared with the Altima, this Camry rides better and is a better fit for people, but you don't get many convenience features for the price, and it never calls out to you from the darkened garage, "Hey, big guy, wanna drive?"